Stabilizing device



March 22, 1938.

H. WOLF STABILIZING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1936 I 4 Sheets-Sheet l .Mar'ch 22,1938. H. WOLF- 2,111,716

STABILIZING DEVICE Filed Ma 4', 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 22,1938. H. WOL 2,111,716

' STABILIZING DEVICE Filed May 4, l936- 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 AVAVAVAVAV a jay QM- Patented Mar. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE STABILIZING DEVICE Hermann Wolf, Coblenz, Germany Application May 4, 1936, Serial No. 77,865

. In'Germany May 6, 1935 7 Claims.

In the spring suspension of vehicles there is merely a differentiation between sprung andunsprung masses; Tothe sprung masses appertain all themasses which are above the springs whilst (.3311 the masses belowthe springs are termed as not spring suspended.

The task of the springs is to-take up the forces which on running over inequalities of the road produce an acceleration of the unsprung masses.

The weaker the springs arethe less do they transmit the forces on to'the'sprung masses and the lessare these set in motion. 1 The sprung masses takeup the goods being conveyed or in thecase of passenger 'vehicles'they support the passengers. The steadier the sprung masses behave whilst running the more pleasant is the journey to the passenger, and awell or badly sprung vehicle is generally spoken of.

Now not only the forces arising from the road act on a vehicle but there are=produced during running certain torques-which arise from the property of the differential, and also centrifugal forces which develop onthe steering, as for ex ample when running on a curve; The. weaker the springs are the more the vehicle body, that is,

It carries out here a the sprung mass, inclines. rotation about the ideal axis, which is located in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which is formed by the springs. In this the out- Wardly located springs are loaded and compressed, whilst those on the inside are relieved and-distend.

This is an unpleasant sensation for the passengers in the vehicle and since they involuntarily tend to oppose the lateral inclination it rapidly leads to tiring them. It has also an unsafe feeling, for which there doesactually exist a reason. It is'known fromexperience that strongly fluctuating vehicles have a bad road and curve position and tend on the least inducementto roll. Sensitive people cannot for this reason bear travelling in automobiles.

Recently automobile motor building'has developed to such an extent that the speeds which *canbe attained no longer-bear any relation to the roadsand curves as they exist. It has therefore been necessary to 'provide a device which effectively and.- reliableovercomes thisdefect. Devices are known which by hydraulic rneans pro- 1 duce positively a'parallel guiding of 'theaxle to the top body. This takes place by cylindersbeing alternately connected together'by tubes. these known devices there attachesthe defect that whilsttheycan produce the intended parallel guiding of. the upper body they. are notable" to ensure a soft springsuspension with an uneven road. Their. greatest defect'is that the wheel of one axle when running i over an uneven part necessarily causes the lifting of the wheel on:the other side of the same axle. It is also not'correct and does not comply with physical'laws, if the.

stabilizing starts suddenlyyas is the case' with these devices.

The apparatus described in the invention obviates the said defectsand stabilizes the upper body gently but absolutely.

,Various embodiments of the invention as also the method .of' operation thereof are shown graphically onthe drawings; in which: 15

Figure 1 shows the mounting of the device in a vehicle,

Figure 2, the mounting. of a partof the device,-

Figure 3, the device. in section,

Figure 4-is a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle when running on a level road.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of thedevice corresponding'to Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the: vehicle when one wheelruns over an-elevation.

Figure 7 shows a portion of. the device according to Figure'B at the instant of running overrthe elevation as shownin Figure'fi.

Figuref8 is a diagrammatic illustration 'ofjrthe' vehicle when this runs round a curve.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of ther device with a regulating -arrangement actuated byhand.

Figure 10 is a regulating'device 'accordingato;

Figure 9 driven by centrifugal weights.

Figure 11 shows the same regulating device operatedelectrically.

.In Figure. 1, l indicates the right hand achassis arm on whichisfixed thecasing 2, and 3 is the left hand chassis arm with the casingd thereon, 5 are the carriage springs which are fixed onto 'the rear axle 6 of the vehicle.

Figure 2 shows the-casing 4 screwed-onto a chassis. bearer 3, a carriage spring 5 and a part of. therear axle 6, onto whichthe spring. 5. isflxed by means of-straps l, which also hold a plate 8. The plate 8 takesthe rod 9, which on its part forms a joint with the lever in... The. lever I0 is fitted on the shaft H of the housing 4. g

The arrangement is so mounted that variations in the distance between the chassis arm 3 and the axle -6 produce a rotation of the shaft H.

If the rod 9 '(Figure 3) moves upward, the lever It also carriesout'a rotary movement up-- Wards and thus rotates the shaftll which is=55i.:

carried in the housing I2 and is provided with the finger I3, in a clockwise direction. The finger I3 slides in a cylindrical block I4 which is itself carried in the piston I5, and displaces the piston to the left, when liquid passes out of the space I6 through the conduit II into a space It in which a piston I9 is slidably arranged. On both sides of the piston are arranged the springs 29 and 2|. Now whilst the liquid is displaced by the piston I5 out of the space IS, the space 22 takes up the same quantity of liquid. This liquid is supplied from the space 23, the piston I3 moving towards the right, tensioning the spring 2| and relieving the spring 29. The liquid must, in order to pass from the space 23 into the space 22, flow through the conduits 24, 25 and 26, when it must pass the valve 21, which is pressed by the force of the spring 28 on to its seat.

This process takes place when a wheel of the vehicle is thrown upward by any unevenness. The downward movement of the wheel causes a rotation of the shaft II in counter-clockwise direction and thus a displacement of the liquid in the space 22, which must now overcome the valve 29 and the force of the spring 36.

It then passes through the conduits 25 and 24 again into the space 23, forces the piston I9 to the left and this displaces the liquid in the space I8 again through the conduit Il into the space I6. The valve 29 has a slot 3| which opens a constant passage for the liquid, so that a sudden transition of the liquid is avoided. The piston I5 carries at its ends for the purpose of obtaining a perfectly tight joint, leather cups 32 which by means of a screw cap 33 are forced against the body of the piston. The screw cap 33 is provided with a hole 34 through which reserve oil can be filled in. The conduit 35 represents the connection with the reserve oil chamber 36 which is closed by a ball valve 31. The reserve chamber 36 of the housing I2 communicates through the pipe 38 with the reserve chamber 39 of the housing 46 which is on the other side of the vehicle, and equalizes the level of the oil in the two chambers. On the displacement of liquid from the chamber I 6 into the space I8 the pressure arising in these spaces is conveyed through the pipe 4| into the space 42. It is here opposed by the force of the spring of the valve 43 which must be first overcome before liquid can penetrate into the space 44.

Exhaustive tests have shown that the inequalities arising from the road are effectively counteracted when the rod of an apparatus, e. g., the rod 9, can deflect upwards by 25 mm. The quantity of liquid thereby displaced is to correspond approximately to the liquid taken in the space I8.

The strength of the springs 29 and 2| must be so selected that a springing of the wheels off the road is not possible.

In the same way as the rod 9 can carry out a movement upward whilst the rod 45 is at rest, the rod 45 can carry out a movement whilst the rod 9 is at rest. On a movement of the rod 45 the piston 46 is moved to the left in the casing and liquid is thereby forced out of the space 4'! through the conduits 48 and 49 and the pipe 5!) into the conduits 24 and 25, when the space 23 is filled up and the piston I9 must carry out a movement to the left. This then tensions the spring 26 whilst the spring 2| undergoes relief. The space 5| takes up with this process the same quantity of liquid as was displaced in the space 41 and which is supplied from the space I8 through the pipe 4|, the liquid having again to pass the valve 43 and through the conduit 52.

With the opposite movement of the rod the liquid is again forced out of the space 5|; after overcoming the force of the spring of the valve53 it must flow back through the pipe 4| into the space I8, the piston I9 being moved to the right, and the space 23 giving up liquid through the conduit 24, the pipe and the conduits 49 and 48, into the space 41. The piston I9 is provided with spring loaded leather cups 54 and has a hole 55 the opening of which can be determined by nozzles. lating in the shock-absorbing action as well as in the stabilizing action of the device, the gradual increase of pressure in the individual chambers and thus to obviate shocks or sudden transitions.

In Figure 4 is shown diagrammatically a vehicle when it is on a level road and below this Figure 5 shows the position diagrammatically at the moment of Figure 3, round casings and Wing pistons having been chosen. According to Figure 4 the aggregate according to Figure 5 is at rest and the piston I9 of Figure 3 is in the centre.

If now the vehicle is driven as shown diagrammatically in Figure 6, over an elevation, the amount of which is h, the rod which is on this side and which according to the description of Figure 3 is indicated by 9, is raised, and thus the lever i0 is rotated clockwise. The piston I9 (Figure '7) carries out a movement to the right. According to Figure 5 the wing piston 56 is then rotated in the same sense so that it forces liquid out of the chamber 51 through the pipe 58 into the space 59. The piston I9 shifts to the right and forces liquid out of the space 60 through the pipes GI and 62 into the space 63. The same procedure takes place when the rod 9 is at rest, the rod 45 is raised and liquid is forced by the wing piston 64 out of the chamber 65 through the pipes 66 and 6| into the space 60, except that the piston I9 now carries out a movement to the left, and forces liquid out of the space 59 through the pipe 6? into the space 68. With like alteration of the distance between the axle and the upper carriage on both sides the piston I9 remains at rest and there takes place a movement of the liquid from the space 65 into the space 63 or respectively from 5'! into the space 68.

Figure 8 shows diagrammatically the procedure of the stabilization. If there takes place a centrifugal force C, which is applied at the centre of gravity 8 of the vehicle upper body, it rotates this about the ideal axis indicated by A, when the levers are oppositely directed as indicated by the arrows. The pistons in this case force liquid into a pipe, e. g., into the pipe 58 in Figure 5. The quantity of liquid reaching the space 59 is then double'as great and the piston I9 is forced to the right at twice the speed, the liquid from the space 60 passing through the pipe 6| into the pipes 62 and 66 and being able to fill each of the spaces 63 and 65 up to one half. It is here important that the liquid before penetrating into the space 63, must pass through the valve 69, whereas it can freely pass into thespace 65. An inclination of the upper body is practically prevented by this device and connection.

Figure 9 shows the same device but here adjacently located cylinders are chosen. The device consists in the main of the casings I0 and 'II which have each two adjacently located piston bores I2, I3, I4 and 75, in which are the pistons 16, I1, I8 and I9. The pistons are driven by the This bore or hole 55 has for its task of regu-- connecting rods 80, 8|, 82 and 83, which on their part are driven by the arms 86, 81, 88 and 89 on the shafts 84 and 85. The running of the pipes and the arrangement of the equalizing device with the piston I9 correspond to Figure 3, except that here there is connected in the pipe 90 a slide valve 9| which is kept open by the spring 92. The slide valve 9I is in the casing 93 into which opens on the opposite side of the spring, the pipe 94 which at its other end is connected with the part 95. In the pipe 94 is liquid which is communication with the space 96. In the space 96 is a piston 91 which is pressed by a spring 98 against the pin 99. Above the piston 91 is the space I and this connects through a check valve ml with the space 96. If the pin 99 is moved to the left the piston 9'! forces liquid out of the space 96 and through the pipe 94, the slide valve 9| closing the pipe 90, and the movement of the piston I9 is stopped.

This device is necessary with vehicles in which, when standing, recoils caused by implements are to be expected (cannon). If the pin 99 is again moved back, that is, to the right, the spring 06 forces the'piston 91 also to the right and the liquid in the space I00 can pass through thecheck valve IOI into the space 96 and the liquid behind the valve 9| can also pass through the pipe at into the space 96. The slide valve is forced back by the spring 92, thus freeing the pipe 98.

Figure 10 shows the same device, the valve I92 being made as a rotary valve on which is the lever I03 which communicates through a joint with the rod I04 and a centrifugal governor I05. The centrifugal governor is driven by the shaft I which on its part is coupled with a gear shaft of the vehicle gear, and which only carries out movements of rotation when the vehicle is moving forward. On standing still, the rotary valve I02 is closed whilst it is opened immediately on the commencement of running. 7

Figure 11 shows the same device actuated electrically, the rotary valve I02, on the lever I03 of which there is a rod I01, being kept constantly closed by a spring I08, whilst on the closing of the current circuit by the switch I09, the coil IIO attracts an iron core on which is the rod I01, and opens the rotary valve I02.

The embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 11 can be developed as desired and the function and operations of the piston I 0 can be replaced by other means.

I claim:-

1. Apparatus for preventing excessive swaying of spring-supported vehicle bodies, comprising a pair of oppositely disposed damping devices arranged on the'respective sides of said vehicle, and connected for inter-transmission of forces acting thereon, and means whereby one of said devices may be permitted to act through a predetermined distance before any part of the force acting on said device is transmitted to said other device, said last means being adapted, when said predetermined distance is exceeded, to transmit the force acting on said first damping device to said second damping device in a proportion de pending upon the quantum of said force.

2. Apparatus for preventing excessive swaying of spring-supported vehicle bodies, comprising a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic damping devices arranged on the respective sides of said vehicle, fluid conduits connecting said devices for transmitting forces therebetween, and an auxiliary device connected between said damping devices for preventing the transmission of a force from one of said damping devices to the other said damping device until the first said damping device shall have acted through a predetermined distance, said auxiliary device being adapted, when said predetermined distance is exceeded, to transmit the force acting on said first damping device to said second damping device in a proportion depending upon the quantum of said force.

3. Apparatus for preventing excessive swaying of spring-supported vehicle bodies, comprising a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic damping devices arranged on the respective sides of said vehicle, each said device comprising a cylinder having a fluid chamber at either end thereof and a piston reciprocable therein, conduits cross-connecting opposite ends of said respective cylinders, and an auxiliary device connected to said conduits for preventing the transmission of a force from one of said damping devices to the other said damping device until the piston of said other damping device shall have acted through a predetermined distance, said auxiliary device being adapted, when said predetermined distance is exceeded, to transmit the force acting on said first damping device to said second damping device in a proportion depending upon the quantum of said force.

4. Apparatus for preventing excessive swaying of spring-supported vehicle bodies, comprising a pair of oppositely disposed hydraulic damping devices arranged on the respective sides of said vehicle, each said device comprising a cylinder having a fluid chamber at either end thereof and a piston reciprocable therein, conduits crossconnecting opposite ends of said respective cylinders, and an auxiliary device connected to said conduits for preventing the transmission of a force from one of said damping devices to the other said damping device until the piston of said other damping device shall have acted through a predetermined distance, said auxiliary device comprising a cylinder having fluid chambers at either end connected to said respective conduits, and having a piston reciprocable therein and spring means for opposing movement of said piston from its central position within said cylinder, said spring means being capable of elastically resisting the maximum normal shocks transmitted thereto.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4, one end of each said damping device being connected directly to said auxiliary device, the other end of said damping device being connected to said auxiliary device through a spring pressed valve.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 4, having means for rendering said auxiliary device inoperative.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 4, having automatic means for connecting and disconnecting said auxiliary device from operative relationship to said damping devices. 

